The Ultimate Grandfather!

Image courtesy of CNA

50,000 pilgrims went to Saint Peter's Square last Sunday for a meeting between Pope Francis and elderly people from around the world. One special guest was retired pontiff Benedict XVI.

The current Holy Father described Pope Benedict as the “grandfather of all grandfathers". He went on to say. “I have said many times that it gives me great pleasure that he lives here in the Vatican, because it is like having a wise grandfather at home. Thank you!”

Pope Francis went on to warn against the reality of the abandonment of the elderly, describing it as a “hidden euthanasia,”. He said it is the effect of a “culture which discards” human beings. Children, unemployed youth, and elderly persons are discarded on the pretense of maintaining a system of economic “balance”. The center of this culture is no longer “the human person,” but “money.” reported CNA.

“We are all called to counter this poisonous culture of waste." was a clear message to all.

Read more <here>

Child Taken From Womb... Literally!

This a quite an unbelievable story... Essex social services have obtained a court order against a woman that allowed her to be forcibly sedated and for her child to be taken from her womb by caesarean section.

The visiting Italian had a mental breakdown while on a business trip, but now 15 months on, the baby is still with social services. The woman claims to be fully recovered and lawyers have said this case is unprecedented, especially due to its international nature.

John Hemming MP said: “I have seen a number of cases of abuses of people’s rights in the family courts, but this has to be one of the more extreme."

Despite her now being of sound mind, Essex County Council want to get the baby adopted in the UK in case she has a relapse.

Do you think it was right to sedate this woman and take the baby by caesarean? Do you think her Italian family should have been contacted? Are the baby's needs and care more important than anything else? What could have been a better solution?

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10486452/Child-taken-from-womb-by-social-services.html

UPDATE: A few articles have said the origianl article may be misleading. Read here for more